Africa has long been regarded as the world’s next breadbasket. It has abundant arable land, fast growing demand, and a vibrant business environment that could provide jobs for millions of young people entering the labor market each year.Yet, Africa’s agricultural potential is still largely untapped. The continent imports large amounts of food while criti...
Story HighlightsIn India, small AI is making farming advice faster, simpler, and more accessible for smallholder farmers using basic smartphones.Farmers can now get practical guidance in local languages on crops, pests, weather, markets, and government support.With World Bank Group support, digital agriculture tools are helping improve farm productivity, s...
When trade disruptions hit developing countries, agriculture workers face some of the largest income losses. / Image: ShutterstockThe Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, caries a substantial share of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows. A disruption to shipping through the strait, whether from conflict or geopolitical ...
Latin America and the Caribbean has spent nearly two decades with 55% of its workers in informality. Yet informality is not a homogeneous block. It brings together informal wage workers—typically young, with short job tenure and more exposed to distortions such as minimum wages and high hiring costs—and the self-employed, who tend to be older and remain ...
Engaging the community on sustainable water and sanitation in Kot Momin, Punjab, Pakistan. Photo: World Bank GroupWater underpins good health, food production, and the energy that powers businesses. It also supports an estimated 1.7 billion jobs worldwide. Yet the world is massively off-track on Sustainable Development Goal 6, which aims to ensure clean wa...
Community-led program will improve access to health, education, essential services and job opportunities.PORT MORESBY, August 10, 2026 — The World Bank Group has approved the US$100 million Rural Service Delivery Project Phase 2 (RSDP-2), which will help improve access to basic services and strengthen local planning and decision-making in rural communitie...
WASHINGTON, August 7, 2026 – The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved yesterday a US$100 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) to support Syria in building the foundations of a modern, secure, and digitally-enabled financial sector. The Syria Financial Sector Modernization Project will support investments that will...
If they act now, AI could help them achieve in a decade what might have taken a centuryWASHINGTON, August 4, 2026—Artificial intelligence (AI) could allow developing countries to do in a decade what might otherwise take a century—provided that governments act swiftly to close the gaps in power, connectivity, skills, and institutional quality that threate...
WASHINGTON, August 3, 2026 — Donor and borrower country representatives of the World Bank Group (WBG) International Development Association (IDA) have selected Dr. Sri Mulyani Indrawati of Indonesia as Independent Co-Chair of IDA's twenty-second replenishment (IDA22). In this role, she will champion stronger policy and financial support for IDA2...
PrintMANILA, August 3, 2026 – The Philippines has reached upper-middle-income country (UMIC) status. Sustaining and deepening that achievement will require the right reforms to navigate current headwinds, unlock stronger, more inclusive growth and better jobs, and continue reducing poverty and inequality, according to the latest World Bank Philippines Eco...
